Top Jazz Performers, Pro Dance Company, and Student Showcase!

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On June 6, beginning at 6:30 p.m., Swinging Saturdays will present an exciting evening featuring:

• Jazz performances by members of its high-level faculty, including Grammy Award winners and other distinguished artists icluding Kris Allen, saxophone, Albert Rivera, soprano, Andrew Hadro, barie, Jen Allen, piano, Avery Sharpe, bass, Ian Carroll, drums
• A dance segment by the Matthew Westerby Dance Company from New York City
• Selected performances by outstanding student participants

The event will take place in the Arts Hall at ECA.

About the Program

Swinging Saturdays was designed and implemented by Litchfield Performing Arts and its Litchfield Jazz Camp to introduce students from the greater New Haven region to jazz — America’s original music. It serves students ages 12 through high school. All activities are entirely free of charge thanks to a grant from the Connecticut State Department of Education.

The program welcomed students with some background in instrumental music as well as curious newcomers to the field. Through programs exploring the history of jazz and the artists who defined it — including legends like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and trombonist JJ Johnson and many others — students gained a rich understanding of the music and its cultural significance.

Weekly guest artists introduced students to legendary jazz performers and their music. Sessions then broke into instrumental classes and recording workshops, where students composed original lyrics and melodies and recorded them under the guidance of the program’s recording engineer. During the June 6 concert, attendees will have the opportunity to hear these original recordings.

Swinging Saturday participants also enjoyed introductory classes in dance. They got a glimpse of the connection between music and tap dance, hip-hop, and Latin styles. Instruction was provided by the award winning, New York-based Matthew Westerby Dance Company. MWD, with 20year history with arts education projects, participated in Litchfield Performing Arts’ Project Poetry Live! PPL! ran for a quarter century teaching middle schoolers poetry, music, art, dance and performance from Western Connecticut to the Hartford region.

Field trips to Yale University rounded out the experience. Students were treated to tours of Yale music facilities and concerts by jazz and classical artists. Despite the proximity of student families to Yale, few had ever visited the campus. The field trips were added to open the eyes of young teens to the possibilities of higher education.